350 



BIRDS. 



feet are specially made 

 for swimming : they are 

 placed far back upon the 

 body, the legs are short 

 and compressed, and the 

 toes are connected toge- 

 ther by a web. Their 

 plumage is thick and 

 shining, impregnated 

 with oil, and closely 

 packed with soft down, 

 so as to preserve them from all contact with the water in which 

 they live. They are also the only birds the length of whose neck 

 sometimes much surpasses that of their legs, thus enabling them, 

 while swimming on the surface, to obtain their food at the bottom. 

 The birds belonging to this Order may be divided into four 

 sections, as in the following table : 



'Having excessively short wings, and the legs placed"^ 

 so far back that they are obliged when on land to \ Brachypteres. 

 preserve almost a vertical position. They fly little f Divers, 

 or not at all . 



FIG. 387. FOOT OK PELICAN. 



Having the wings of 

 ordinary length, or 

 even very long, and 

 the feet so placed as 

 to enable the bird to 

 walk when in a hori- 

 zontal position . . 



Beak 



horny 



The thumb free or ") 

 wanting, wings > Longipeillies. 

 excessively long . ; 



The thumb united "\ 

 to the other toes / 

 by a common 

 membrane, wings 

 long 



The beak covered by a soft 

 skin, and the edges fur- 

 nished with transverse 

 ridges or very fine tooth- 

 like points 



Lamellirostres. 



TRIBE I. BRACHYPTERES. 



The Brachypteres * exhibit considerable relationship with the 

 water-hens. In these birds the legs are situated farther back than 

 in any others, so that they walk with difficulty, and are obliged 

 to stand almost in an upright position. They swim about on the 



brachys, short ; irrepliv, pteron, a wing. 



